Grapefruit: Breast Cancer
Is it true that eating grapefruit causes breast cancer in women?
As strange as it sounds, yes, it seems to be true, at least in postmenopausal women. There appears to be a connection between grapefruit consumption and breast cancer in women.
A study which was recently published in the British Journal of Cancer discovered that those who consumed half a grapefruit every other day were at greater risk of developing breast cancer compared to women who never ate grapefruit. How much more risk? As much as 30 %, which is obviously significant.
The theory goes that some rather strange compound in grapefruit interferes with a certain enzyme that is needed to metabolize estrogen. And in postmenopausal women, elevated estrogen levels are thought to be responsible for an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
The bottom line: First, more studies are needed to better understand a connection between grapefruit and breast cancer. Second, eat tangerines and or oranges; they do not mess with your estrogen levels.
Possibly related
- The Grapefruit Diet: Try Red Grapefruit
- Ginger: Ovarian and Breast Cancer Destroyer
- Soy and Breast Cancer
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